


Creations

by DashingLuna



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alive Bianca di Angelo, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And hey I love Bianca alive Au's, F/M, Hephaestus basically saves Bianca, M/M, Polyamory, Saw this tumblr post, but pretty brief and background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26131774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashingLuna/pseuds/DashingLuna
Summary: Hephaestus finds Bianca in the junkyard still alive and fixes her up.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson, Bianca di Angelo & Nico di Angelo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 102





	Creations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SonofSallyJackson (thecompletebookworm)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecompletebookworm/gifts).



Hephaestus doesn’t usually check his junkyard any longer than to drop off his failed experiments. Which in itself doesn’t happen often, Aphrodite has always called him a hoarder, and while Hephaestus wouldn’t _classify_ himself as one, the god firmly believed every project, no matter how broken, could be reused.

Including humans.

Humans were something he rarely understood, he wasn’t as emotionally aware as the other gods. Hephaestus didn’t even know what sarcasm was, which had led to some very awkward situations.

But he did understand that humans weren’t broken, and even if they believed they were, they could always be fixed. Whether it be physically or emotionally.

Today, it seemed to be physical.

He’d stayed at his junkyard for longer than normal. Maybe because of curiosity, to see who it’d changed, maybe because he’d noticed how a group had walked through it as well, or maybe it was just the fates choosing his path. For whatever reason he forged on, searching for something.

Hephaestus had already laid down his ‘junk,’ as others would’ve liked to have called it. So he really did have no reason to be there.

Except for when he’d noticed his old Talos prototype. And unlike how he’d left it, defective yes but still functional, it layed in ruin. Broken apart and obviously scavenged.

Hephaestus, always in the need for some new celestial bronze, began to pick it apart. Hoping to find something useful, but all of the circuits were fried. So the only thing useful the god was getting out of that piece of junk was the bronze, nothing else.

Hephaestus cursed to himself but he kept checking. Hoping to find at least something more useful.

That’s when he’d found Bianca.

After moving aside a piece of the celestial bronze he stumbled across a human. It was most probably a girl, but Hephaestus had never been one to care for genders. She had been buried deep inside the heart of his creation, hundreds of different pieces of celestial bronze would’ve had to have been ripped away for any normal rescue group to find her.

‘Why is there a human girl in my junkyard-HOLY SHIT SHE’S STILL ALIVE!’ Hephaestus could see her just barely breathing. Her left arm and right leg were too fried to be fixed by doctors alone, her face was charred, and it looked like it hurt to even breathe.

The girl was small, as a god Hephaestus didn’t care for age in the slightest. They all looked young to him, but this was a child even by human standards. She was small and desperate, the weight of the robot had probably broken a few ribs too.

Hephaestus had only 24 hours until the winter solstice. He still had time for one more, quick project. Gently, and trying to cause the least amount of grief and pain possible, Hephaestus picked up the girl. She didn’t scream, not like she had the lung capacity to do so, but she did let out multiple wheezes that could’ve been mistaken for crying.

Hephaestus usually only felt pity or sadness when _his_ children got injured. And while the god could say, with absolute confidence, that this was not one of his children. This girl was inside _his junkyard_ and had been broken while in it. It was now his responsibility to fix it.

Teleporting back into his forge, the god set to work.

0-0-0

Bianca hadn’t expected to wake up. At all. Period. 

When she’d seen the electricity start to run up the monster she knew she was dead. Even as she lay inside the automaton, half dead and barely conscious, she’d already accepted her death. But she didn’t think the lobby to the underworld looked like _this_. There weren’t even any dead people. 

The room was enormous. It looked like a mechanic’s garage, with several hydraulic lifts. Some had cars on them, but others had stranger things: a bronze hippalectryon with its horse head off and a bunch of wires hanging out its rooster tail, a metal lion that seemed to be hooked up to a battery charger, and a Greek war chariot made entirely of flames. 

Smaller projects cluttered a dozen worktables. Tools hung along the walls. Each had its own outline on a Peg-Board, but nothing seemed to be in the right place. The hammer was over the screwdriver place. The staple gun was where the hacksaw was supposed to go.

Under the nearest hydraulic lift, which was holding a ’98 Toyota Corolla, a pair of legs stuck out—the lower half of a huge man in grubby gray pants and shoes even bigger than Bianca had ever seen. One leg was in a metal brace.

“Well, well,” a deep voice boomed from under the Corolla. “You’re finally awake, and just in time too,”

Bianca shuddered at the voice, but her body felt... wrong. Looking down she saw what was the problem, her right leg was entirely replaced with machinery, as well as her left arm. Running an arm along her chest she found it to be mechanical as well, with small circuit boards and intricate designs.

Placing a hand firmly on her chest something clicked and whirred, before ever so slowly a small section of her chest opened out to reveal her heart replaced hit machinery. Bianca brought her robot hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp.

Her whole body wasn’t mechanical work. Her left leg was still in tack, while her right arm was too. While the top half of her body was mostly machinery, her stomach area downwards was skin and bone, stopping right where her leg began.

Her face was the biggest thing. While it wasn’t noticeable until Bianca touched it, she could feel that the right side of her face was replaced. Iit wasn’t a perfect split, as the area around her chin was still flesh, but it was still a pretty big chunk of her face replaced with robotics.

Including her eye. Her right eye.

Bianca didn’t know what to say or what to think. Especially when the mechanic in question came before her.

He apparently didn’t care how he looked. He wore a jumpsuit smeared with oil and grime. Hephaestus was embroidered over the chest pocket. His leg creaked and clicked in its metal brace as he stood, and his left shoulder was lower than his right, so he seemed to be leaning even when he was standing up straight. His head was misshapen and bulging. He wore a permanent scowl. His black beard smoked and hissed. Every once in a while a small wildfire would erupt in his whiskers then die out. His hands were the size of catcher’s mitts.

Bianca really hadn’t been prepared to see a face like that, but she still tried to be polite. “Where… were you the one who fixed me?”

The god, Hephaestus, nodded. Looking at her and admiring his work. 

“Why?” Bianca couldn’t comprehend that a god, especially one she had no relation to, had saved her. “Wait-are you my dad?”

Hephaestus threw back into a hearty laugh. “No, no I can assure you I’m not,”

“Then why?” Bianca asked. “Why bother trying to save me?”

Hephaestus, didn’t answer, it didn’t even seem like he had an answer. He only turned away. “What were you doing in my junkyard, child?”

“My group and I are-were on a quest to save Artemis, and our adventure led us to the junkyard, we’re truly sorry if we intruded, but we were on a time limit and that was the only way across,” Bianca explained. “I’m a hunter of Artemis, so it’s my duty to bring my lady to the winter solstice… how long have I been out? Is my lady okay?”

“Bah, a hunter, I should've known,” Hephaestus said. Though after a few seconds of silence he began to speak again. “In a few hours the winter solstice will begin, I’ve been delaying my arrival so then I could ask you questions, so no. I don’t know how long you’ve been out. And as for Artemis, I’ll soon see whether she is okay at the solstice,”

“Can… can I come with you, lord Hephaestus,” Bianca asked politely. “I would like to reunite with my party if that would be possible, please,”

Hephaestus stared at Bianca, mulling over his answer before coming to a conclusion. “Alright, I don’t see why not. I bring some of my projects to Olympus all the time,”

“Is that what I am, you’re project?” Bianca held no malice in her question. She reached out for some sort of clothing, a block tank top and some workshop pants were gifted to her. And while she rather would’ve been in her hunter gear, any clothing was better than no clothing.

“In a certain sense, yes,” Hephaestus said as he snapped his fingers and transported them to Olympus. His form changed too, cleaner and more presentable. He was still ugly, sure, but his form wasn’t slanted and he didn’t seem as comfortable.

That’s when Bianca realised, she was on Olympus, actual, full on Olympus.

In the early-morning darkness, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colors, from bloodred to indigo. Apparently no one ever slept on Olympus.

The twisting streets were full of demigods and nature spirits and minor godlings bustling about, riding chariots or sedan chairs carried by Cyclopes. Winter didn't seem to exist here. Bianca caught the scent of the gardens in full bloom, jasmine and roses and even sweeter things she couldn't name. Music drifted up from many windows, the soft sounds of lyres and reed pipes. Towering at the peak of the mountain was the greatest palace of all, the glowing white hall of the gods.

To say Bianca was nervous, an understatement. She followed behind Hephaestus, somehow keeping up with the god. She didn’t dare try to even go beside him. Wondering whether that would be offensive.

Together the god and the demigod walked into the throneroom. A few gods were already there, but seeing as the event didn’t start for a few hours (and they were gods, able to teleport) most weren’t.

The few gods that _were_ there were Apollo, Demeter and Aphrodite. Bianca didn’t know how she knew who they were, but she did, she could just tell.

“Phaestus!” Apollo called out in a large excited voice. “I see you brought another… one… of your projects…”

Apollo’s praise fell short as he looked at Bianca with surprise. Demeter and Aphrodite were staring at Bianca with a much more… distasteful look, Bianca knew why Aphrodite would hate, or at the very least, dislike her. But she hadn’t done anything to Demeter.

“Lord Apollo, Lady Demeter and Aphrodite,” Bianca addressed with a bow.

Apollo didn’t make a move, so Hephaestus did. Moving past the sun god and taking his seat. Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the cabins at camp. The ceiling above glittered with constellations.

Before Bianca moved to join Hephaestus she addressed Apollo again. “Do you know where my lady is?”

“She should be here soon,” Demeter answered instead. “She has been freed, but is taking her time. Your companion, who was it? Grover-I think-has come with the Ophiotaurus, he is inside the other room awaiting for the council to start,”

Bianca nodded her head at the harvest goddess in thanks. Before silently asking Hephaestus if she could see him, the quick flick of a wrist gave her answer.

0-0-0

“Welcome, heroes,” Artemis said.

Percy didn’t feel very welcome. Not at all, he felt judged, and certain he was going to die.

“Mooo!”

That's when he noticed Bessie and Grover. 

A sphere of water was hovering in the center of the room, next to the hearth fire. Bessie was swimming happily around, swishing his serpent tail and poking his head out the sides and bottom of the sphere. He seemed to be enjoying the novelty of swimming in a magic bubble. 

Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne, as if he'd just been giving a report, but when he saw the party, he cried, “You made it!”

He started to run toward Percy, then remembered he was turning his back on Zeus, and looked for permission.

“Go on,” Zeus said. But he wasn't really paying attention to Grover. The lord of the sky was staring intently at Thalia.

Grover trotted over. None of the gods spoke. Every clop of Grover's hooves echoed on the marble floor. Bessie splashed in his bubble of water. The hearth fire crackled.

“I...can I?-” A voice very familiar piped up, hesitantly voicing.

“Go,” Zeus’s voice rang out and the sound of footsteps ran around Hephaestus’s throne. Percy looked over to see none other than Bianca. Except she looked far too different.

She was wearing a brand new hunters jacket, her tiara glittering across her forehead. But a lot of things had changed. The least obvious one was her pants, which now looked to be the same ones the god Hephaestus was wearing, she wasn’t wearing any shoes. Oh-and of course- half of her face was cybernetic.

She was a cyborg.

Bianca rushed towards Percy and hugged him. Wrapping two arms around him but one of them felt eerily different. Percy ignored the feeling, and instead hugged back even tighter. Because he’d lost Zoe, so seeing Bianca back was a blessing, no matter how damaged she was.

Bianca broke the hug and made her way over to Thalia. While Grover switched and came in Percy’s direction for a hug of his own. “Percy, Bessie and I made it! But you have to convince them! They can't do it!”

“Do what?” Percy asked.

“Heroes,” Artemis called.

The goddess slid down from her throne and turned to human size, a young auburn-haired girl, perfectly at ease in the midst of the giant Olympians. She walked toward them, her silver robes shimmering. There was no emotion in her face. She seemed to walk in a column of moonlight.

Bianca bowed. And Percy remembered that she probably didn’t know about Zoe, but would still have to take her place as lieutenant.

“The Council has been informed of your deeds,” Artemis told them, gesturing for Bianca to rise, who did so in a quickend fashion. “They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act.”

There was some mumbling and shuffling among the gods, as if they weren't all happy with this plan, but nobody protested.

“At my Lord Zeus's command,” Artemis said, “my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their vari-ous prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the cruise ship Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom of the sea. And as for you, my heroes...” 

She turned to face the other immortals. “These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service. Would any here deny that?”

She looked around at the assembled gods, meeting their faces individually. Zeus in his dark pin-striped suit, his black beard neatly trimmed, and his eyes sparking with energy. Next to him sat a beautiful woman with silver hair braided over one shoulder and a dress that shimmered colors like peacock feathers. The Lady Hera.

On Zeus's right, Percy’s father Poseidon. Next to him, a huge lump of a man with a leg in a steel brace, a misshapen head, and a wild brown beard, fire flickering through his whiskers.

The Lord of the Forges, Hephaestus.

Hermes winked at Percy. He was wearing a business suit today, checking messages on his caduceus mobile phone. Apollo leaned back in his golden throne with his shades on. He had iPod headphones on, so Percy wasn't sure he was even listening, but he gave them a thumbs-up.

Dionysus looked bored, twirling a grape vine between his fingers. And Ares, well, he sat on his chrome-and-leather throne, glowering at Percy while he sharpened a knife.

On the ladies' side of the throne room, a blonde-haired goddess in green robes sat next to Hera on a throne woven of apple-tree branches. Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest. Next to her sat a beautiful gray-eyed woman in an elegant white dress. She could only be Annabeth's mother, Athena. Then there was Aphrodite, who smiled at Percy knowingly and made him blush in spite of himself.

All the Olympians in one place. So much power in this room it was a miracle the whole palace didn't blow apart.

“I gotta say”-Apollo broke the silence—“these kids did okay.” He cleared his throat and began to recite: “Heroes win laurels—”

“Um, yes, first class,” Hermes interrupted, like he was anxious to avoid Apollo's poetry. “All in favor of not disintegrating them?”

A few tentative hands went up—Demeter, Aphrodite and surprisingly Hephaestus.

“Wait just a minute,” Ares growled. He pointed at Thalia, Percy and for some unknown reason Bianca. “These three are dangerous. It'd be much safer, while we've got them here—”

“Ares,” Poseidon interrupted, “they are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son to bits.”

“Nor my daughter,” Zeus grumbled. “She has done well.”

“My hunter has survived, and proven loyal, _Ares_ ,” Artemis hissed out. “You will do no such thing,”

Thalia blushed. She studied the floor. Percy knew how she felt. He'd hardly ever talked to my father, much less gotten a compliment. 

Hephaestus was staring at Ares with pure malice at the mention of Bianca’s destruction.

The goddess Athena cleared her throat and sat forward. “I am proud of my daughter as well. But there is a security risk here with the other three.”

“Mother!” Annabeth said. “How can you-,”

Athena cut her off with a calm but firm look. “It is unfortunate that my father, Zeus, and my uncle, Poseidon, chose to break their oath not to have more children. Not even Hades kept his word.-” That one sentence alone set everyone's heads snapping forward, because that was the first time they’d even heard Hades had a child. None of the adventurers spoke up, but Bianca seemed nervous.

“-As we know from the Great Prophecy, children of the three elder gods... such as Thalia, Percy and Bianca... are dangerous. As thick headed as he is, Ares has a point.”

“Wait-why is Bianca included in this, we don’t even know who her godly parent is,” Percy brought up. Because sure, she might be a cyborg now but… that didn’t make her eligible for a prophecy.

“About that…” Bianca rubbed the back over her neck. “Um… my father is Hades, I just found out a few minutes ago,”

“He claimed you?”

“No,” Bianca said bitterly. “But-look I’ll explain later but now isn’t the time,”

Percy wanted to ask more questions but a quick jab in the ribs stopped him. So he stayed silent.

“Athena, do you truly think it safest to destroy them?” Dionysus gazed down at the three wearily.

“I do not pass judgment,” Athena said. “I only point out the risk. What we do, the Council must decide.”

“I will not have them punished,” Artemis said. “I will have them rewarded. If we destroy heroes who do us a great favor, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it.”

“Calm down, sis,” Apollo said. “Jeez, you need to lighten up.”

“Don't call me sis! I will reward them.”

“Well,” Zeus grumbled. “Perhaps. But the monster at least must be destroyed. We have an agreement on that?”

A lot of nodding heads.

It took Percy a second to realize what they were saying. Then his heart turned to lead.

“Bessie? You want to destroy Bessie?”

“Mooooooo!” Bessie protested.

His father frowned. “You have named the Ophiotaurus Bessie?”

“Dad,” Percy said, “he's just a sea creature. A really nice sea creature. You can't destroy him.”

Poseidon shifted uncomfortably. “Percy, the monster's power is considerable. If the Titans were to steal it, or—”

“You can't,” He insisted. Looking straight at Zeus. He probably should have been afraid of him, but Percy stared him right in the eye. “Controlling the prophecies never works. Isn't that true? Besides, Bess—the Ophiotaurus is innocent. Killing something like that is wrong. It's just as wrong as... as Kronos eating his children, just because of something they might do. It's wrong!”

Zeus seemed to consider this. His eyes drifted to his daughter Thalia. “And what of the risk? Kronos knows full well, if one of you were to sacrifice the beast's entrails, you would have the power to destroy us. Do you think we can let that possibility remain? You, my daughter, will turn sixteen on the morrow, just as the prophecy says.”

“You have to trust them,” Annabeth spoke up. “Sir, you have to trust them.”

Zeus scowled. “Trust a hero?”

“Annabeth is right,” Artemis said. “Which is why I must first make a reward. My faithful companion, Zoe Nightshade,-” Bianca flinched, and Percy realised she hadn’t even been able to say goodbye. “-has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. And I intend to choose one. But first, Father Zeus, I must speak to you privately.”

Zeus beckoned Artemis forward. He leaned down and listened as she spoke in his ear.

A feeling of panic seized Percy. “Annabeth,” he said under his breath. “Don't.”

She frowned at him. “What?”

“Look, I need to tell you something,” Percy continued. The words came stumbling out of me. “I couldn't stand it if... I don't want you to-”

“Percy?” Bianca said with concern. “You look like you're going to be sick.”

And that's how he felt. He wanted to say more, but his tongue betrayed him. It wouldn't move because of the fear in his stomach. And then Artemis turned.

“I shall have a new lieutenant,” she announced. “If she will accept it.”

“No,” Percy murmured.

“Thalia,” Artemis said. “Daughter of Zeus. Will you join the Hunt?”

Stunned silence filled the room. Percy stared at Thalia, unable to believe what he was hearing. Annabeth smiled. She squeezed Thalia's hand and let it go, as if she'd been expecting this all along. Bianca gave a sad smile, but nodded in Thalia’s direction.

“I will,” Thalia said firmly.

Zeus rose, his eyes full of concern. “My daughter, consider well—”

“Father,” she said. “I will not turn sixteen tomorrow. I will never turn sixteen. I won't let this prophecy be mine. I stand with my sister Artemis. Kronos will never tempt me again.”

She knelt before the goddess and began the words Percy remembered from Bianca's oath, what seemed like so long ago. “I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men...”

“Aren’t you mad it wasn’t you?” Percy asked Bianca, who was staring at the scene with a bittersweet smile.

“No, I don’t think I’m ready to lead, Percy,” Bianca said. “And anyway, I think I’ll be visiting Camp Half blood way too often to be a lieutenant,”

The thought of Nico seeing his sister again brought a small smile to Percy’s face.

Afterward, Thalia did something that surprised him almost as much as the pledge. She came over to Percy, smiled, and in front of the whole assembly, she gave him a big hug.

Percy blushed.

When she pulled away and gripped his shoulders, he said, “Um... aren't you supposed to not do that anymore? Hug boys, I mean?”

“I'm honoring a friend,” she corrected. “I must join the Hunt, Percy. I haven't known peace since… since Half-Blood Hill. I finally feel like I have a home. But you're a hero. You will be the one of the prophecy.”

“Great,” Percy muttered.

“I'm proud to be your friend.”

She hugged Annabeth, who was trying hard not to cry. Then she even hugged Grover, who looked ready to pass out, like somebody had just given him an all-you-can-eat enchilada coupon.

Then she hugged Bianca, before ruffling the girls hair playfully. As if they had been sisters this entire time. Bianca’s smile turned from bittersweet to delighted. And while Thalia went back to Artemis’s side, Bianca was put in a more complicated situation, it seemed, as she went to Hephaestus’s side.

Which, while a little weird didn’t seem to be the wrong move. As nobody protested, not even Artemis.

“Now for the Ophiotaurus,” Artemis said.

“This boy is still dangerous,” Dionysus warned. “The beast is a temptation to great power. Even if we spare the boy—”

“No.” Percy looked around at all the gods. “Please. Keep the Ophiotaurus safe. My dad can hide him under the sea somewhere, or keep him in an aquarium here in Olympus. But you have to protect him.”

“And why should we trust you?” rumbled Hephaestus. Bianca gave a panicked look at Hephaestus, who softened.

He seemed to have a soft spot for Bianca now.

“I'm only fourteen,” Percy said. “If this prophecy is about me, that's two more years.”

“Two years for Kronos to deceive you,” Athena said. “Much can change in two years, my young hero.”

“Mother!” Annabeth said, exasperated.

“It is only the truth, child. It is a bad strategy to keep the animal alive. Or the boy.”

Poseidon stood. “I will not have a sea creature destroyed, if I can help it. And I can help it.”

He held out his hand, and a trident appeared in it: a twenty foot long bronze shaft with three spear tips that shimmered with blue, watery light. “I will vouch for the boy and the safety of the Ophiotaurus.”

“You won't take it under the sea!” Zeus stood suddenly. “I won't have that kind of bargain-ing chip in your possession.”

“Brother, please,” Poseidon sighed.

Zeus's lightning bolt appeared in his hand, a shaft of electricity that filled the whole room with the smell of ozone.

“Fine,” Poseidon said. “I will build an aquarium for the creature here. Hephaestus can help me. The creature will be safe. We shall protect it with all our powers. The boy will not betray us. I vouch for this on my honor.”

Bianca nodded her head in satisfaction.

Zeus thought about this. “All in favor?”

To Percy’s surprise, a lot of hands went up. Dionysus abstained. So did Ares and Athena. But everybody else...

“We have a majority,” Zeus decreed. “And so, since we will not be destroying these heroes... I imagine we should honor them. Let the triumph celebration begin!”

0-0-0

Bianca hadn’t gone to join Thalia and Artemis, just yet.

She’d asked, of course, before doing it. But the fact she had been able to leave with Percy, Annabeth and Grover to go see her brother again was astounding.

She’d asked for the Hades statue from Percy, after she’d given the explanation on what had happened to her (she honestly barely even knew herself) all that she knew was her father was Hades, and she’d found out when Poseidon had first seen her.

Now that had been an awkward meeting.

Chiron greeted them at the Big House with hot chocolate and toasted cheese sandwiches. He held no judgement when he’d seen Bianca’s face. When looking through the mirror she wouldn’t call it _unsightly_ , but it was a big change from her original face.

Grover went off with his satyr friends to spread the word about our strange encounter with the magic of Pan. Within an hour, the satyrs were all running around agitated, asking where the nearest espresso bar was.

Annabeth, Bianca and Percy sat with Chiron and some of the other senior campers:Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, and the Stoll brothers. Even Clarisse from the Ares cabin was there, back from her secretive scouting mission. She had a new scar on her chin, and her dirty blond hair had been cut short and ragged, like someone had attacked it with a pair of safety scissors.

“I got news,” she mumbled uneasily. “Bad news.”

“I'll fill you in later,” Chiron said with forced cheerfulness. “The important thing is you have prevailed. And you saved Annabeth!”

Annabeth smiled at Percy gratefully, which made him look away. Bianca raised an eyebrow at that, because she only had one eyebrow now.

Beckendorf was looking at her as if he wanted to order a dissection. Bianca shuffled back a bit at that.

“Luke is alive,” Percy said. “Annabeth was right.”

Annabeth sat up. “How do you know?”

Bianca wasn’t really interested in Luke, she was going to be fighting her own battle in this war. Percy told them what his dad had said about ‘the Princess Andromeda’.

“Well.” Annabeth shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “If the final battle does come when Percy is sixteen, at least we have two more years to figure something out.”

“I can assure you the hunters will lend their assistance,” Bianca was determined at that. “We not like working with the company of men, but this is a war, and every little battle counts,”

Chiron's expression was gloomy. Sitting by the fire in his wheelchair, he looked really old.

“Two years may seem like a long time,” he said. “But it is the blink of an eye. I still hope you are not the child of the prophecy, Percy. But if you are, then the second Titan war is almost upon us. Kronos's first strike will be here.”

“How do you know?” Percy asked. “Why would he care about camp?”

“Because the gods use heroes as their tools,” Chiron said simply. “Destroy the tools, and the gods will be crippled. Luke's forces will come here. Mortal, demigod, monstrous... We must be prepared. Clarisse's news may give us a clue as to how they will attack, but-,”

There was a knock on the door, and Nico came huffing into the parlor, his cheeks bright red from the cold. Bianca smiled at him.

He was smiling, but he looked around anxiously. “Hey! Where's... where's my sister-Bianca!”

Nico ran forward and rushed into Bianca’s arms, the girl was anxious that Nico would think less of her because of the cybernetics, but he didn’t seem to think they were bad, quite the opposite actually.

“That’s so cool! Is it like an upgrade, can you see through walls now!” Nico began to ramble on and on about the possibilities that her eye could do. Bianca chuckled a bit, same old Nico.

“You think that’s cool,” Bianca challenged. “Check out _this_ bad boy,” Bianca rolled up her sleeves to show her robot arm. Earning an excited gasp from Nico.

“That’s so _cool_ !” Nico practically had stars in his eyes. “Does it have a grappling hook! Or-oh! Or what about _lasers_!”

“I dunno,” Bianca rubbed the back of her neck. “I didn’t ask,”

Then the realisation that, hey, she’d have to tell Nico about his parentage. “Why don’t we go for a walk, so I can explain what happened,”

Nico nodded excitedly. And as Bianca closed the door, she sent Percy and Annabeth small smiles of reassurance.

0-0-0

For the past two years Bianca had been meeting with Nico once a month, and every meeting had been better than the last.

One time she’d come back to Nico summoning the dead by the macarena. Which involved a lot of laughter.

Bianca had come back one month to find out Nico had gone on a quest, and was practically the saviour of camp and the self proclaimed ghost king. It became a lot easier to see Nico as well after that, once she’d found out about shadow travel.

She’d also found out, through a series of unfortunate events, that Nico had a crush on Percy, and through spending time at camp he’d also gained a crush on Annabeth.

And after a while of snooping, and not telling Nico, Bianca had found out Annabeth had one back at Nico.

“I don’t know who to pick, please don’t judge me-,”

“Annabeth, I’m not going to judge you for being unable to pick,” Annabeth now had three options instead of two. But, being honest, this whole thing didn’t really include Luke. “Just let it be known that my brother is most probably bisexual, and Percy too,”

So there was that. Thalia was fun to be around, and the hunters of Artemis were her home.

Then came the river styx plan. Nico had told Bianca, as a chance to find out who their mother was, Nico was going to bring down Percy to the underworld to get Hades to talk to him. Bianca agreed that it was a good idea if, and only if, Percy was informed what was going on.

Like the lovesick fool Percy was, he agreed, and Hades did the most dickish dad move and locked him in a dungeon. Nico brought him out though, and even though Percy would’ve loved for Nico to help in battle he knew that they needed the underworld on their side.

“You don’t trust me anymore, do you,” Nico whispered in shame. He wasn’t exactly the same overexcited kid, the labyrinth had made him grow up. But that didn’t mean he didn’t make mistakes.

“No, I trust you Nico,” Percy beant down to the boys level. “Of course I do, just… no matter how much I hate it we _need_ Hades, we aren’t going to be able to win without him,”

Nico’s eyes filled with determination. “I won’t let you down,”

“I know you won’t,” Percy ruffled his hair, his eyes filled with longing. “You never have,”

When the hunters of Artemis came to aid in the battle of Oympus, she wasn’t with them. Instead, after hearing what Percy had done, Bianca had opted to stay behind and help Nico convince Hades to join the battle.

Finding out about their mother had been heartbreaking for the pair, they’d both cried for a long time after that, but it’d given them the motivation they’d needed to see their father joining the battle.

Bianca could admit she’d cried when she’d been told that Hades would have his own cabin at camp. Because that meant Nico didn’t have to stay in the Hermes cabin anymore.

Percy, at the end of the day, still wasn’t able to decide whether he wanted Annabeth or Nico. So Bianca gave a little push to help in the decision.

“It’s called Polyamory, where someone has more than one partener,” Bianca explained and watched as Percy’s eyes lit up.

It wasn’t a ‘golden couple,’ instead it was an impossible relationship happening. But still definitely the cutest.

One night though, late at darkness when all the other hunters were sleeping, and after all of the war was over. Bianca received an Iris message from Nico.

“So I _may_ have been searching for our mother in the underworld, since death has gone all wonky, and I _may_ have found something even better instead,” Nico had a wide but panicked smile on his face as suddenly someone was pulled into the view of the Iris message. “Meet, Hazel Levesque! Our sister!”

“Hi,” the girl in question, Hazel, waved at Bianca, who waved back.

Thus began the problems of the Romans, which was going fine, up until six months after the war.

Jason was gone, Percy was gone and everybody was searching, especially the panicked boyfriend and girlfriend of Percy Jackson, who were currently on a rampage on anyone who tried to get in their way.

Then Bianca saw Jason again. But not in the way she’d expected.

The hunters had been chasing after Lycon, after Thalia just missing the wolfs hand Bianca had sent out the hunting wolves (the only animals that weren’t scared of her) to scour ahead, when they’d gotten there Thalia had crouched in the firelight and snatched up the arrow that had wounded Lycaon’s hand. 

“So close.” She turned to her companions. “Phoebe, Bianca, stay with me. Watch the entrance. The rest of you, follow Lycaon. We can’t lose him now. I’ll catch up with you.”

The other hunters mumbled agreement and disappeared, heading after Lycaon’s pack. Thalia turned to the newbies, her face still hidden in her parka hood. “We’ve been following that demon’s trail for over a week. Is everyone alright? No one got bit?” 

That’s when Bianca noticed, in a panic, that this was Jason who stood frozen, staring at Thalia. There were three other companions, a mechanic boy, a girl who could’ve been mistaken for a supermodel and a satyr.

“You’re her,” The supermodel guessed. Bianca tensed, expecting to be called out. “You’re Thalia.” 

Thalia tensed. She pulled down her parka hood. Her hair was spiky black, with a silver tiara across her brow. Her face had a super-healthy glow to it, as if she were a little more than human, and her eyes were brilliant blue.

Bianca still did not know how she stayed so stunning.

“Do I know you?” Thalia asked.

The supermodel took a breath. “This might be a shock, but-,”

“Thalia.” Jason stepped forward, his voice trembling. “I’m Jason, your brother.”

For a minute, Jason and Thalia faced each other, stunned. Bianca equally so. Then Thalia rushed forward and hugged him. 

“My gods! She told me you were dead!” She gripped Jason’s face and seemed to be examining everything about it. “Thank Artemis, it _is_ you. That little scar on your lip-you tried to eat a stapler when you were two!”

The mechanic laughed. “Seriously?” 

The satyr nodded like he approved of Jason’s taste. “Staplers-excellent source of iron.” 

That’s when Bianca decided to take off her hood. Only to have people gasp in shock by her face, she got that a lot of the time. While she was thankful for Hephaestus saving her life she rather wished he’d made her less unsightly.

Jason held no recognition in his eyes.

“Wow,” The mechanic took a step forward as if he was in a daze. “You-you’re a real cyborg,”

He had this maniac grin on him that only screamed trouble. “Would you happen to be a child of Hephaestus?”

“Yeah! I’m Leo Valdez” The boy bounced around, though he only stared into her eye. Bianca practically shrugged, she always had a soft spot for the Hephaestus children, maybe it was because she was half mechanical.

Bianca began to take off her jacket. Which sent several people into alarm.

Especially when she began to take off her tank top.

Jason was averting his eyes and Leo was covering his own eyes as fire began to open around his hair. Thalia and Phoebe, who were already used to this reaction rolled their eyes. It wasn’t like they were going to see anything.

“Why?!” Leo practically screamed.

“Because it’s more than just the eye,” Bianca responded, cautiously Leo parted some of his fingers, and then gasped in shock at what he saw. Her intricate designs and mechanical masterpiece sent him ranting.

“Did you make this yourself?” The supermodel asked. Bianca didn’t know why she was showing them this, maybe she needed a new mechanic, she needed to be tweaked a bit after Beckendorf had died.

“No,” Bianca shook her head. “Hephaestus saved my life and sort of rebuilt most of things that were… broken,” Bianca trailed off, before putting her flesh hand over her mechanical torso (it wasn't like there was anything sexual there) and letting her heart pop out.

“Wow,” Leo reached out to touch, Bianca smacked away his hand. “Hey! What gives?!”

“I could die if anything is handled incorrectly,” Bianca chastised gently. “Sorry for not trusting you with my life after we’d just met,” 

Leo looked as though he was going to protest, but then he paused and stayed silent. While that was happening Bianca began to roll up his pants leg to show his robotic one. Taking off her shoe and sock. (She’d always loved the toes, they’d been so intricate and able to move better than any normal toe).

“My dad made this?” Leo said. Phoebe had taken the supermodel and Coach Hedge while Jason had been taken by Thalia, so it was just Leo and her. “Why?”

“Everything can be reused, even humans,” Bianca whispered. Leo’s face darkened a bit and stared at the floor with new found interest. Slowly, Bianca began to put everything back on. “I don’t know why he helped me, but because of him I have a soft spot for Hephaestus children,”

Leo stayed silent. Bianca, when fully dressed again, stood up and stretched. “Let’s go get you a parka, you must be freezing,’

They’d met up with Phoebe and the supermodel (who was called Piper) before a little while later Jason came out, with Thalia explaining how he’d lost his memory.

“You really don’t remember anything?” Bianca asked.

“Bits and pieces, why? Do you know who I am?” Jason said.

“No,” Bianca lied. Knowing she couldn’t say yes yet.

Bianca and her future mechanic got separated, while the hunters began to go to the wolf house. Honestly, she didn’t know why she was saving Hera, other than the fact it could give Jason’s memories back. Which would be a very, very big problem.

"Jason!” Thalia appeared from the fog, her parka caked with snow. Her bow was in her hand, and her quiver was almost empty. She ran toward them, but made it only a few steps before a six-armed ogre—one of the Earthborn—burst out of the storm behind her, a raised club in each hand. Bianca had been right behind the Thalia, so when the Earthborn popped out it was easy to deal with.

“Look out!” Leo yelled. They rushed to help, but Bianca had it under control. She launched herself into a jump, notching an arrow as she pivoted like a gymnast and landed in a kneeling position.

The ogre got a silver arrow right between the eyes and melted into a pile of clay. Bianca stood and retrieved her arrow, but the point had snapped off. “That was my last one.” She kicked the pile of clay resentfully. “Stupid ogre,”

“Nice shot, though,” Leo said.

“Thanks,” Bianca smiled at the kid. He reminded her of Nico.

Thalia ignored him as usual. She hugged Jason and nodded to Piper. “Just in time. My Hunters are holding a perimeter around the mansion, but we’ll be overrun any minute.” 

“By Earthborn?” Jason asked. 

“And wolves-Lycaon’s minions.” Bianca came up, she loved being a hunter, sure. But damn was it tiring. “Also storm spirits-,” 

“But we gave them to Aeolus!” Piper protested.

“Who tried to kill us,” Leo reminded her. “Maybe he’s helping Gaea again.”

“I don’t know,” Thalia said. “But the monsters keep reforming almost as fast as we can kill them. We took the Wolf House with no problem: surprised the guards and sent them straight to Tartarus. But then this freak snow storm blew in. Wave after wave of monsters started attacking. Now we’re surrounded. I don’t know who or what is leading the assault, but I think they planned this. It was a trap to kill anyone who tried to rescue Hera.”

“Which, not a lot of us _want_ to do,” Bianca grumbled.

“Where is she?” Jason asked.

“Inside,” Thalia said. “We tried to free her, but we can’t figure out how to break the cage. It’s only a few minutes until the sun goes down. Hera thinks that’s the moment when Porphyrion will be reborn. Plus, most monsters are stronger at night. If we don’t free Hera soon-,” 

When inside the house, Bianca fought with Hera a bit. Not like anyone could blame her. Bianca then got frozen, she wasn’t dead but damn was it uncomfortable.

Then Jason died, got revived and remembered Bianca.

“You!” Jason pointed at Bianca with a furious expression when he was alive again. “You knew! This entire time!”

“If you-,” Bianca tried to say calmly.

“No! You knew who I was and lied to my face!” Jason was pissed.

“Jason!” Bianca yelled. “If you’d _just let me explain_ ,”

Jason still looked pissed. Thalia, who had probably figured out Bianca knew Jason existed before she did, was also pissed, while Leo and Piper were very confused.

“Jason, you know how fragile this situation is. If I told _anyone_ about this there would be a chance of a civil war, and you finding out about your memories… it was unpredictable,” Bianca whispered. “We were together for a very short time, and I’m sorry,”

Jason stared at Bianca, mulling over his choice. Before he sighed and hung his head. He knew that Bianca was right but he still felt betrayed.

“I’m still sorry though,” Bianca whispered as Jason left through Hera.

The hunters still searched for Percy. Bianca only took breaks to see the Hephaestus cabin (Leo) and let him do a checkup on her.

They didn’t find him, but Percy found camp. Bianca had been busy so she wasn’t able to say hi, but Percy had found Nico and… well didn’t explode to having his memories kept secret. But he was a little angry.

Then Nico went missing.

Wow, Bianca had been Iris messaged by a panicked Percy and a panicked Annabeth. She hadn’t been able to join Percy and the Argo, but Hazel had promised Nico’s safe return.

Bianca didn’t see Nico again until much later though.

Sure, Nico Iris messaged her when he’d gotten out of the jar. But he hadn’t looked good _at all_. She’d only gotten to see him face to face after he began to transport the statue.

Not before she met Reyna.

Gods, Reyna. Their first meeting had been ridiculous, after all, Thalia had decided to kidnap the girl.

Bianca had come rushing in when she’d heard the crash from where Reyna was being kept. Expecting the worst but hoping for the best. Only to find Thalia on the floor with Reyna holding her knifepoint.

“You’re the Hunters of Artemis,” Reyna realized.

“Take it easy,” said Bianca. “You’ve got the wrong impression.”

“ _You’ve_ got the wrong impression,” Reyna said, “if you think you can attack me and take me captive. Where are my friends?”

“You mean my brother and the goat?” Bianca asked, watching Reyna flinch in surprise at Bianca’s admission of her being Nico’s brother. “They’re unharmed, and I’ve made _sure_ they’re safe, for now,”

“You’re Bianca di Angelo?” Reyna didn’t loosen her hold at all. “Nico said you could take me to Thalia, can you?”

“You know you’re on top of her, right?” Bianca said with a snort. Watching Thalia’s form shake.

“Jason told me you were good,” Thalia said with a laugh. “He didn’t tell me _how_ good,”

“ _You’re_ Thalia?”

“And I’ll gladly explain, if you don’t cut my throat,

The Hunters guided Reyna through a maze of corridors. The walls were concrete blocks painted army green, devoid of windows. The only light came from dim fluorescents spaced every twenty feet. The passages twisted, turned and doubled back, but the ginger-haired Hunter, Phoebe, took the lead.

Bianca was with Reyna.

“How has Nico been? Hazel hadn’t been able to message me about his recovery, so has he been eating enough? Ever since tartarus he hasn’t been eating,” Bianca bombarded Reyna with questions about her brother. To which Reyna gave a faint smile.

“He’s doing okay, Coach Hedge has been making sure he eats enough,”

Bianca gave a nod of approval.

Thalia Grace limped along, holding her ribs where Reyna had hit her with the chair. She must’ve been in pain, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. 

“Again, my apologies for abducting you.” Thalia didn’t sound very sorry. “This lair is secret. The Amazons have certain protocols –”

“The Amazons. You work for them?”

“With them,” Thalia corrected. “We have a mutual understanding. Sometimes the Amazons send recruits our way. Sometimes, if we come across girls who don’t wish to be maidens forever, we send them to the Amazons. The Amazons do not have such vows.”

Celyn snorted in disgust. “Keeping male slaves in collars and orange jumpsuits. I’d rather keep a pack of dogs any day.” 

“Their males aren’t slaves, Celyn,” Thalia chided. “Merely subservient,” She glanced at Reyna. “The Amazons and Hunters don’t see eye to eye on everything, but since Gaia began to stir we have been cooperating closely. With Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood at each other’s throats, well … someone has to deal with all the monsters. Our forces are spread across the entire continent.” 

Reyna massaged the rope marks on her wrists. “I thought you told Jason you knew nothing of Camp Jupiter.”

“That was true then. But those days are over, thanks to Hera’s scheming.” Thalia’s expression turned serious. “How is my brother?”

“When I left him in Epirus, he was fine.” Reyna told her what she knew.

“I hope he’s still well,” Thalia mused. “A few nights ago I dreamed about our mother. It … wasn’t pleasant. Then I got Nico’s message in my dreams – about Orion hunting you. That was even less pleasant.”

“Our brothers will be fine,” Bianca reassured. “After all, they’re related to us,”

“You almost died on you’re first quest,”

“I was _young_ and _stupid_ ,” Bianca huffed in offense.

‘That’s why you’re here. You got Nico’s message.’

‘Well, we didn’t rush to Puerto Rico for a vacation. This is one of the Amazons’ most secure strongholds. We took a gamble that we’d be able to intercept you.’

‘Intercept us … how? And why?’

In front of them, Phoebe stopped. The corridor dead-ended at a set of metal doors. Phoebe tapped on them with the butt of her knife – a complicated series of knocks like Morse code.

Thalia rubbed her bruised ribs. ‘I’ll have to leave you here. The Hunters are patrolling the old city, keeping a lookout for Orion. Bianca and I need to get back to the front lines.’

She held out her hand expectantly. ‘My knife, please?’

Reyna handed it back. ‘What about my own weapons?’

‘They’ll be returned when you leave. I know it seems silly – the kidnapping and blindfolding and whatnot – but the Amazons take their security seriously. Last month they had an incident at their main centre in Seattle. Maybe you heard about it. A girl named Hazel Levesque stole a horse.’

Celyn grinned. ‘Bianca, Naomi and I saw the security footage. Legendary.’

‘Epic,’ agreed Bianca. 

‘At any rate,’ Thalia said, ‘we’re keeping an eye on Nico and the satyr. Unauthorized males aren’t allowed anywhere near this place, but we left them a note so they wouldn’t worry.’ 

From her belt, Thalia unfolded a piece of paper. She handed it to Reyna. It was a photocopy of a handwritten note: 

_IOU one Roman praetor. She will be returned safely. Sit tight. Otherwise you’ll be killed. XOX, the Hunters of Artemis_

_P.S Nico, take care, I’ll look after the girl (love Bianca)._

Reyna handed back the letter. ‘Right. That won’t worry them at all.’

Phoebe grinned. ‘It’s cool. I covered your Athena Parthenos with this new camouflage netting I designed. It should keep monsters – even Orion – from finding it. Besides, if my guess is right, Orion isn’t tracking the statue as much as he’s tracking you.’ 

Reyna stared, startled. ‘How could you know that?’

‘Phoebe is my best tracker,’ Thalia said. ‘And my best healer. And … well, she’s generally right about most things.’ 

‘Most things?’ Phoebe protested. 

Thalia raised her hands in an I give up gesture. ‘As for why we intercepted you, I’ll let the Amazons explain. Phoebe, Celyn, Naomi – accompany Reyna inside. Bianca and I have to see to our defences,’

‘You’re expecting a fight,’ Reyna noted. ‘But you said this place was secret and secure.’ 

Thalia sheathed her knife. ‘You don’t know Orion. I wish we had more time, Praetor. I’d like to hear about your camp and how you ended up there. You remind me so much of your sister, and yet –’

‘You know Hylla?’ Reyna asked. ‘Is she safe?’ 

Thalia tilted her head. ‘None of us are safe these days, Praetor, so I really must go. Good hunting!’ Thalia disappeared down the corridor. Bianca right behind her, following her command.

Bianca saw Nico again when he came running to find Reyna, the two didn’t have time to talk (Orion was attacking) but they did quickly hug before engaging in battle.

He’d grown so much.

0-0-0

He’d grown up too fast.

Bianca stood in the graveyard of her friends, with the only two hunters that could understand. Thalia and Reyna.

She remembered Thalia at Jason’s funeral, Reyna at Hylla’s funeral.

Then it was finally Bianca’s turn. And she was so proud of Nico.

Bianca missed him. It had been 200 years, Nico had been dead for a while. He was still waiting, with Annabeth and Percy right beside him. With Hazel and Frank right behind, ready for once their sister came home.

Bianca didn’t know when she was going to go, only that she knew Nico would wait. He would wait.

0-0-0

Hephaestus watched his creation cry.

Sometimes he wondered whether he made the right choice.

But watching Bianca live, breathe and have a passion that no other creation he’d ever made could match, always reassured his second guessing.

Even when she’d died, reminding Hephaestus as of how fleeting lives were, he could feel her happiness.

Even while three Gods weeped (Artemis, Hades and Hephaestus himself). The creation smiled.

As she finally got to see her brother again.

**Author's Note:**

> This work was inspired by a Tumblr post I actually found on Pinterest. (Maggierhee2)  
> I made this on a whim, (and gifted it to my favourite commenter, I don't know whether they'll enjoy it but hope they do!)  
> This is only my second oneshot, and not by best work. It's a little jumpy but damn did I have fun.


End file.
